Updating the NAL Components on Windows NT/2K & XP Silently

Over the last few years we've had a lot of problems
updating the NAL components on the workstations. Our users have only
User privileges, so when we patched the server, we'd get about 10
million help-desk calls about the DR (Watson) making house calls. (Ok,
maybe not 10 million...)

Recently, we upgraded to ZEN 3.2 on the back-end, leaving one server
with the 3.0 files so that we could do a phased migration. It was all
good, we were pushing out an ACU of the 4.83 client to the desktop, then
running the /noupdate switch from the 3.0 server so that we could cut
over a context at a time. Everything worked well until we had to
apply 'SP1' for 3.2, even with the latest client on the workstation. When we ran nalexpld.exe from the patched 3.2 server the DR would show up again (even if you had admin rights!).

To get around this problem, and to avoid incorporating the seven files
affected into the client and pushing out another ACU, I wrote a program
that (however simple) stops the Application Launcher & Workstation
services, unloads (kills) naldesk.exe from memory, and replaces all the
files, then starts up all the services and Naldesk again.

This utility works great and has saved us about a million hours of
desktop visits (ok, maybe not a million). Just thought I'd share this info as it has been a thorn in our side for
a long time. Here are the files, source, and documentation.

NAL Update Utility

NALUP.EXE, Version 1

I. ABSTRACT

This utility will help network admins to update the NAL components on the workstation.

Please be aware that no warranties or guarantees are offered or implied.

NOTE: This utility helps system administrators. It is a 3rd-party product, neither endorsed nor supported by Novell. Problems or questions regarding this product can be reported via e-mail to wadeg@telusplanet.net or wade.grimm@huskyenergy.ca

II. INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

**NOTE: the clients must be running NAL from the server with the /noupdate switch see the Nalupdate utility.doc provided in the zip for more info.

Edit source to your particular needs or leave it as the defaults, edit the AXT provided, deploy via ZENworks. Run as secure system user.

III. USAGE

Deploy via ZENworks. (We used force run and run once.)

IV. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Helps Network Admins to update the NAL files on the workstation, without having to re-deploy the client.